Tommy Sopwith has Passed Away

He was born in 1932 and was the son of the British aviation pioneer Sir Thomas Sopwith.

No doubt he will be best remembered for his firsts in motor sport, on and off the water.

In 1958 he won the first round of the British Saloon Car Championship and in 1961 he was victorious in the inaugural Daily Express International Offshore Powerboat Race – The Cowes Torquay.

Sopwith with his co-driver Geoff Fanner won the race with an average speed of 24.50 mph, in 2010, he drove the Red Funnel / Red Jet Start Boat to celebrate the 50th year of Offshore Powerboat Racing from Cowes.

John raced Offshore UIM Class 3 in the 1980’s & 1990’s.
He served as the Cowes Torquay Cowes Event Director for 4 years, including running the 50 th Anniversary Event in 2010.
His company 2017 MOTO has organised 3 recent British Offshore races under UKOPRA sanction.
He is the Editor of Powerboat Racing World.